The present disclosure relates to smoke detectors.
Smoke detectors are used in the detection of smoke inside an aircraft. In some examples, smoke detectors are used within an electronics bay, cargo bays, passenger cabins, landing gear bays, etc. Electronics bays contain avionics units, controllers, etc.
In typical aircraft, air is pressurized by compressors and delivered to an aircraft cabin. Some of the air is directed to other locations, such as to cool an electronics bay.
Samples of cooling air may then be directed to one or more detection systems. The detection systems are configured to recognize a fire threat by analyzing the air sample, and are further configured to trigger an alarm if smoke is present in the air sample. The detection system may be a photoelectric smoke detector, but other air sampling smoke detectors are known. Photoelectric smoke detectors detect a brightness variation by using light to determine whether smoke particles are present in the air sample. In some examples, the air flows through a pipe into the detection system and exits a downstream location.
One known type of smoke detector has a box-like housing with an inlet on one end, and an outlet on an opposite end. In these examples, the inlet and outlet are provided in a common plane (e.g., one is not vertically above or below the other).